Lasting Shadows
by ShadowOfApate
Summary: Experimental Fic. Lauren suffers from PTSD
1. Chapter 1

Title : Long Way From Happy  
Author : Tariq ( formerly Aeris Jade Orion )  
Rating : R  
Pairing : LL/BD  
Timeline : Season One  
Summary : What if Lauren suffered from PTSD?

Authors note: It's unbeta'd. At the moment I  
have no beta reader for this genre. So drop me  
a line if you're interested.

Second, due to health issues, and taking care  
of my disabled mom, I haven't been able to  
write much. But over the last several years  
I've managed to slowly write on a number  
of stories.

What I've decided to do is go ahead and  
publish what I've managed to put together.  
The stories are unfinished, and sometimes,  
the last chapter I worked on is unfinished.  
Plus, there maybe multiple chapters, each one a  
different version. Just warning everyone.

So I apologize in advance.

Disclaimer : Not mine. All characters belong  
to SYFY.

00000  
Prologue  
00000

" Why the hell didn't you strip her weapons? " Lauren  
scolded the Orderly as they rushed the wounded solider  
into the medical tent.

There were strict procedures to be followed. The Orderly  
should know them by now.

" I asked you a question, Private! " She snapped, when  
he didn't answer.

Glancing up, she realized the entire tent was silent. The  
Orderly was staring over her shoulder. Everyone was  
staring at the same spot.

Lauren half-turned and froze. A four year old boy stood  
inside the entrance of the medical tent. A large bomb  
was strapped to his chest. The large red numbers counting  
down rapidly. A trigger was taped to the boys right hand,  
his thumb hovering over it.

Her hand wrapped around the gun on the stretcher. In one  
single motion, she drew, aimed, and fired. Large brown eyes  
stared at her as they drained of life. Blood splattering on  
the dirt floor. The tiny body limply folding to the ground.

The blonde handed the gun off to the shocked Orderly.

" Everyone back to work. " She softly ordered, picking up  
a tray of surgical tools.

Moving to the body, she made quick work of the bomb.

" He was a child... " The Orderly appeared behind her.

Lauren sat up in a cold sweat. Her body shaking violently.  
Tossing the saturated covers aside, she grabbed the  
trash can next to the bed and lost what little she'd eaten  
that day.

" Another nightmare? " Nadia's bloody image appeared  
in the dark corner of her bedroom. " You've really got  
to let this go, babe. "

The blonde's brown eyes scanned over the gapping stab  
wound in Nadia's chest. Just where her heart would be.

" You're not here. " The doctor whispered. " You're dead.  
I killed you. "

" You live in the world of the Fae. " Nadia sauntered  
forward. " Who's to say if I'm dead or not. "

" While there are many Genus of Fae who are capable... "  
Lauren began to lecture.

" Lauren, this has to stop. " Nadia sternly interrupted.  
" I saw the stunt you pulled with Bo. She got to close  
and you panicked, so you did what you always do. You  
used the Ash's orders to sabotaged your relationship. "

The blonde stared at her dead wife soberly. Killed by  
her own hand on their wedding night. It had been six  
months into her slavery to The Ash. The Morrigan had  
given her the answers she needed to help the woman.

Evony had told her everything. The evil woman giving  
her the curse nail, telling her about The Ash, the location  
of the Shaman. Everything but the fact Nadia was under  
the influence of a Garuda.

" Don't ignore me, Lauren. " Nadia snapped. " How  
many potential girlfriends does this make? The Wood  
Nymph? The Selkie? Now Bo? You can't keep going  
like this. "

Lauren pushed up from the bed violently. " SHUT UP! "

" It wasn't your fault! " Nadia yelled.

" I don't want to hear this! " Lauren shoved her night  
table over. " Just go the hell away! LEAVE ME ALONE! "

" Fine. " Nadia sighed. " But one day, you'll have to deal  
with your past. "

She let out a scream of frustration. A single tear falling  
from her left eye. Lying on the floor by her night stand  
was the shattered remains of a music box. Nadia's death  
certifact, their wedding liscence, their wedding rings, and  
her dog tags were scattered on the floor.

Suddenly numb, she slipped to her knees, and fell into the  
side of the bed. Closing her eyes to the room around her.

Why bother dealing with the past when her present was  
so screwed up?

00000

" Look who's finally here. The Ash's yes girl. " Kenzi slurred  
from her seat on the warehouse crate.

Lauren hurried into dim building trying to ignore the cold  
atmosphere. Bo had obviously not kept her actions to  
herself. Kenzi and Dyson were both glaring at her. Bo was  
trying to keep from looking at her at all.

" What's the... uh, situation? " She questioned, moving  
to what was left of a body.

" We have a dead Light Fae, not sure what. " Hale said,  
appearing from the shadowing. " It looks like it could  
be a Dark Fae killing. "

She kneeled by the large bloody blob, opening her kit.  
The Doctor tugged on a pair exam gloves.

" Did you sleep at all last night, doc? " Hale frowned  
in concern.

" Maybe the Ash asked her to entertain someone. " Bo  
spoke up.

Lauren paused briefly filling a test tube with the biological  
material. She continued, putting the lid on it, and moving  
onto the next tube.

" Leave off the doc, guys. " Hale shifted uncomfortably.

She stiffened at the Siren's support. He would have her  
back. He'd investigated the incident with Nadia, and  
had learned about her background in Afgahn. He knew  
everything from the Garuda to her PTSD. Hell, he'd even  
been witness to her failed relationships.

" Hale, my man, we need to conference. " Kenzi cocked  
her finger at him. " Now! "

Grimacing at the coming wreck, she hurried through  
the rest of gathering evidence.

" What do you think you're doing? " Kenzi whispered  
loudly enough to be heard by everyone, and half the  
city block. " You're consorting with the enemy. "

" The doc's good people. " Hale held his hands up in  
surrender.

Lauren repacked her bag, and stood up. It was time to  
leave before she got pulled into a fight she wanted  
nothing to do with.

" Whoa! Have you forgotten what she did to Bo? "  
Kenzi exclaimed.

" Na, I remember. " Hale flicked his nose. " But I also  
know the doc, and I know why she did it. I admit she  
did your sister wrong, but she was solid for it. "

" Oh, yeah, I forgot, cause The Ash ordered her. " Kenzi  
held out her hand and spoke with an upper class accent.

" It was nothing like that. " Hale brushed off.

" Hale, that's enough. " Lauren slung her medical satchel  
over her shoulder. " They don't need to know my business,  
and in case you forgot, you gave me a blood oath. "

" Ah shit. " Hale tipped his hat back. " Come on doc, we're  
all friends here. They can help you. "

She shook her head coldly at the man. " They are not my  
friends, and neither are you. The only reason I am even  
here is because I was ordered by my master. You'll have  
my report by tommorrow morning. "

Lauren headed out the door quickly.

" Doc, wait, I'm sorry. " Hale chased after her. " At least,  
let me drive you back to the Compound. You're exhausted. "

" Keep your concern for someone who cares, Detective. "  
She called back.

Boom!

She jumped, her bag falling from her shoulder, and spun  
around.

"...wounded. " The orderly yelled over the explosions. His  
eyes glared at her silently. Following her orders, but hating  
her ever since she'd killed the boy.

" How many? " She demanded.

The building shook around them, debris showering on them,  
and the wounded already coming in. They were overrun and  
it wasn't stopping. Their medical personal were being killed  
off too fast, and replinished too slowly.

" At least a dozen more. " The private grabbed his helmet  
to keep it steady.

" We can't take anymore. " The newly promoted Captain  
scanned the room of the derelict building they'd taken  
over for the time being. " Get on the radio, and tell them  
to reroute the rest of the incoming. "

" I've tried. No one else will take them. " Lauren pinched  
her nose in frustration. " Where am I supposed to put them?  
On the ceiling? "

" Captain! " Nurse Richards scream snapped her into  
action.

She ran for the young male nurse with the orderly behind  
her. " What is it? "

" A belly bomb. " The Nurse grimly answered, peeling  
back the thick compression bandages.

Lauren glanced inside the stomach of the young solider.  
She could barely make out the signs of what was becoming  
common. Planting bombs in your own body. But this was  
the first time the enemy had planted the bomb in one  
of Canada's solider's.

" We have to neutralize the bomb... I have to open him  
here. " The doctor sighed.

" He's in bad shape. If you do, he may go into  
shock, and die. " The Nurse eyed her sadly.

" And if the bomb goes off, we all die. " Lauren  
grabbed a pair of gloves.

" You're not even going to try and save him? " The  
orderly's face darkened.

" Stand down, Private. " Lauren snapped off. " Go  
help Corpol Marks. "

" But... " The orderly shifted angerly.

" Now! "

" Sir! " He saluted.

" He's going to be trouble. " The Nurse frowned.

" He wasn't made for any of this. " Lauren started  
to get her equipment.

" Were any of us? " Nurse Richards pointed out.

Lauren pulled the bandages off, and quickly opened  
the wound around the bomb. Nurse Richards, and a  
second nurse worked to keep the solider alive  
while she started defusing the bomb.

" His heart rate is racing. " Nurse Gates whispered,  
wrapping a BP cuff around his arm.

" He's bleeding too much. " Nurse Richards packed  
the wound.

" I know. " Lauren used her scapel to cut a wire.  
" I'm going as fast as I dare. "

" His BP's 60 and dropping. " Nurse Gates glanced  
up.

" Damn it. " Lauren cut a second wire. " I can't  
do anything. The bomb is on a trigger, if I don't  
get all the wires the entire building will go. "

" He's gone. " Nurse Gate's removed her Stethoscope.

The doctor continued to work, feeling the orderly's  
death glare from across the room. Accusing her of  
killing him, like she'd killed the boy weeks before.

What he didn't know, or maybe didn't realize, was  
he didn't have to blame her. Because she blamed herself  
more than enough.

" Doc. " Hale laid a gently hand on her shoulder.  
" You alright? "

She stared at the old car driving past as it backfired  
again. It sounded almost like a bomb going off in the  
distance.

" I need to go. " She picked her bag up.

" You can't keep ignoring this. " Hale tried.

She kept walking toward her car. The image of the  
dead solider flashing in front of her eyes.

She would ignore it, and everything else about  
her past for as long as she could.

11111  
Chapter One  
11111

The bodies writhed in one large mass. The heavy  
music pounding so loud it vibrated the building.  
The pitch black building, with the black paint,  
was penetrated by black light and the bodies  
wrapped in glowing jewelry, or painted with  
glow in the dark paint.

Lauren threw her sweat soaked hair back in ectasy  
as she pressed into the back of the mermaid. She  
ran her hands up the arms of dark haired princess,  
drapping them over her head.

With surgical precision, her long fingers ghosted  
over the perfect body. Making promises of long  
days and even longer nights of passion. The throbbing  
beat bringing a Fairy to join them. The second blonde  
pressing in from the front.

The doctor leaned over and licked the Fairies lips.  
The action caused the Fae's eyes to flicker silver.

" Outside. " Lauren ordered the two women.

She stepped back, disppearing into the crowd. Hale  
would be furious with her. Falling back into her old  
habits of dealing, but she didn't care. Two flashbacks  
in twenty four hours, plus having Nadia appear to her  
was too much to deal with.

Lauren need an outlet.

The blonde pushed throught the crowd. Moving toward  
the exit. With a final shove, she got through the  
crowds, and headed out of the Fae Rave.

The doctor straightened her silk button up. It  
was black, left unbuttoned at the top to show  
a lot of cleavage, and at the bottom, to above  
her belly button piercing.

Her skin tight dark chocalate leather pants  
were so soft they were like butter. They hung  
low on her hips, and held up with a black leather  
belt. The outfit was finished with her favorite  
black leather boots.

Pain exploded in her left shoulder and forearm.  
She rolled into the doorway on instinct. Echoes  
of gunshots ringing in her ears. Brown eyes  
traced the shadow darting into the distance.

" Lauren... " The Mermaid opened the door.

She rolled her eyes up with a smirk. " I'm afraid  
our evening's going to be put on hold. "

11111

To Be Continued 


	2. Chapter 2

Title : Lasting Shadows  
Author : Tariq ( formerly Aeris Jade Orion )  
Rating : R  
Pairing : LL/BD  
Timeline : Season One  
Summary : What if Lauren suffered from PTSD?.

Authors note: It's unbeta'd. At the moment I  
have no beta reader for this genre. So drop me  
a line if you're interested.

Second, due to health issues, and taking care  
of my disabled mom, I haven't been able to  
write much. But over the last several years  
I've managed to slowly write on a number  
of stories.

What I've decided to do is go ahead and  
publish what I've managed to put together.  
The stories are unfinished, and sometimes,  
the last chapter I worked on is unfinished.  
Plus, there maybe multiple chapters, each one  
a different version. Just warning everyone.

So I apologize in advance.

Disclaimer : Not mine. All characters belong  
to SYFY.

22222  
Chapter Two  
22222

" We've got to move, Major. " A voice was  
barely heard over the surrounding gunfire.

Lauren ignored the voice, and kept working  
on the solider on the makeshift table. Despite  
the nearing explosions, and bullets impacting  
close by, her hands remained perfectly  
steady.

" Alright, he's stable. " She stepped back,  
stripping the latex gloves off, and carelessly  
dropping them to the bloody dirt floor. " Get  
him on the transport. "

" Ma'am, we've got a problem! " A nurse ran  
up, ducking as an explosion rocked the  
battered canvas tent. " Orderly Marks is  
missing. "

Major Lewis sighed at the newest complication  
a la Marks. The Private was a pain in the  
neck. Hovering with dirty looks, and  
harsh comments. He'd started causing general  
disrest among the others. Making the rest  
of the unit increasingly resentful, and  
angry at him.

The man could not seem to understand they  
were in the middle of a harsh, unforgiving  
war. They were trying to survive the best  
they could, and hopefully, save a few  
people at the same time.

Yes, it was cruel, and dirty. They had to  
operate bare handed sometimes. Had to kill,  
and shut of their emotions as young kids  
died for their right to be free.

" Go with the patient. " She ordered.  
" Tell Simmons' I'm going after Marks. "

" The transport... "

" I'll catch it on it's next trip. " Lauren  
ducked out of the tent.

Her blood shot brown eyes swiftly scanned the  
desert camp. She was her sixth tour of duty,  
and planning her seventh. A fact her brother  
was furious over.

In the last six and a half years, she'd been  
bounced between three different frontline  
assignments. Medic to a combat unit, a  
battalion aid station, and a MASH unit.

Each was very risky. Resulting in her being  
injured a number of times. But instead of  
taking the ticket out of the Canadian Military,  
she simply got back up and continued on.

Half crouched, she sprinted toward the back  
portion of the MASH unit. If she was anything,  
it was observant. She knew the people in the  
unit. Even people like the Private.

He tended to hang around the back ten. Mostly  
around a broken down heap that had once  
been a civilian truck.

She rounded the last tent, and straightened  
back up. There wasn't much shooting or  
bombing in the back area. Making it safer  
than the rest of the camp.

" Private. " She softly called.

Eight rapid shots thundered behind her. She  
blinked in surprise as she collapsed to her  
right hand and knees. Blood splattered over  
the sand, and pain registered in her mind.

Glancing down at her body, she noted five  
bullet holes. Her left shoulder, left  
forearm, left abdomen, right thigh, and  
right calf.

An empty clip landed on the sand by her  
right hand. The loud click of a new clip,  
drawing her eyes up to the man who'd shot  
her.

" Private Marks. " She frowned at the  
glaze over his eyes. " What's the meaning  
of this? "

" An eye for an eye. " The Private stared  
through her. " A kill for a kill. "

" You're tired, Private. " The Major  
swallowed as he started to sway lightly.  
" You need rest. I can arrange for you  
to have a few months back home. "

" I must execute the child killer. " The  
Private raised the gun.

Lauren let out a groan, falling to the  
ground. She slipped her right hand  
beneath her body. The hand unclipping  
the gun hidden under her long sleeved  
military shirt. She released a loud moan,  
pulling the gun free.

' Three, two... ' She silently counted. '  
one. '

She rolled onto her left side, and opened  
fire. The Private screeched out, dropping  
the gun, and cradling his bleeding right  
wrist to his chest. He stumbled back,  
slipping on bloody sand, falling back with  
a loud thump.

" Major! "

She closed her eyes to the blistering sun,  
and opened them to the sight of the condo  
given to her by the Light.

" You shouldn't be drinking with pain  
killers. " Hale scolded her from the couch.

She snorted in argument. Instead remaining  
on the stool in front of the bar counter  
separating the kitchen from the rest of the  
apartment.

Lauren downed the rest of the whiskey in  
her glass. She was in too much pain, and  
too furious about her left arm being  
strapped to her chest by a sling, to care  
about the dangers of mixing alcohol with  
pain killers.

" This is your own fault. " Hale tried  
again. " If you would just feed... "

Her fury erupted fully. She snatched up  
the half empty whiskey bottle and threw  
it hard at the Siren.

" Shit! " He barely ducked the bottle,  
as it shattered against the wall behind  
him.

" Listen to me well, Siren. " She growled,  
eyes flashing orange. " I will never feed  
more than what's necessary to live. I  
don't care if I remain as weak as a human  
for the rest of my life! "

" Right, because having to pretend to be  
a slave to the Ash is all puppies and  
kittens. " Hale stood up. " You have to  
work sixteen hour days, spend time in  
the dungeon's, get spit on and bullied  
by other Fae... "

" Yet you think it's alright to treat  
human's like that. " Lauren snorted in  
disgust.

" No I don't. " Hale frowned in self-hate.  
" I think we should treat human's like  
we do Fae. There are ways, rituals to  
keep human's from talking, ways to erase  
memory. Human's could be spelled to not  
talk about the Fae, then hired to work  
for us. "

" Funny, you don't back up your words  
with actions. " Lauren sighed in frustration  
as she realized she wasted a perfectly good  
bottle of whiskey. She got up, and pulled a  
new bottle from under the bar.

" My family would disown me. " Hale slumped  
in defeat.

" You're all bark and no bite. " Lauren  
retook her seat on the stool. " Too scared  
to back up your claims. "

" Look, if you feed, you'll heal. " Hale  
went back to the original subject. " And  
be better able to protect yourself while  
we find the bastard that's after you. "

" When the Ash told you I was Fae, did he  
tell you what kind I was. " Lauren slowly  
poured more whiskey, raising the bottle  
up as she poured.

" Naw. Just that you won't feed. Something  
about it being a side effect of the PTSD. "  
Hale entered the kitchen and grabbed a  
glass. He took the whiskey bottle and  
joined her at the bar.

" A Maenad. " Lauren bitterly smirked. " I'm  
a damned Maenad. My father was a Dionysus,  
raped my mother when she was barely fifteen.  
Drove her insane, got her hooked on enough  
drugs to get a pack of Ogres high, and  
towards the end she added alcohol to the mix.  
She was a Serket, so everything combined  
with premature labor killed her. "

" Oh Hel. " Hale whispered in shock.

" I have the mind of a Serket. " Lauren  
admitted. " But the body of a Maenad. "

" Jeez, no wonder you hate feeding. "  
The Siren drained his glass. " But Lauren,  
you could feed off sex. "

" Ecstasy. " Lauren snarled in pure disgust.  
" Sex, rage, inebriation, frenzy, complete  
madness... The very extremes of pleasure.  
I can't even have sex without a power  
suppressant because my partner would be  
driven permanently insane. "

" What about Bo? " Hale gently suggested.  
" As a Succubus, she would be able to  
handle your full powers. "

" No. " Lauren refused quietly. " I won't  
risk it. "

" What happens if the next attempt on  
your life is more serious? " Hale probed.

" Then I heal like a human. " Lauren filled  
their glasses. " I simply can't handle  
my powers anymore. "

" Can I ask why? " Hale rolled his glass  
between his hands.

" For three years, after I first awakened  
my powers, I didn't try controlling my  
feeding. I didn't care about the consequences  
for the human's I feed from. " Lauren closed  
her eyes tightly, trying not to think about  
those years. " I started orgies at Sorority  
Houses, bar fights, mobs, had sex with any  
woman that caught my eye... "

" Then one day I caught a news report. A  
serial killer had been arrested. He'd  
kidnapped and murdered twenty six young  
boys. All four year olds. " Lauren's hands  
started to shake. " He claimed he started  
his career the night of a particularly  
violent bar fight. A bar fight I used my  
powers to start. "

She gulped down her glass of whiskey. Eyes  
watering slightly.

" Until that one night, he was a respectable,  
lonely man, working for an insurance company.  
He'd been on the edge of becoming a killer,  
but had managed to not fall off. Then I used  
my powers, and shoved him over the cliff. "  
Lauren violently pushed her glass away.

" When I found out about him, I started combing  
through newspapers covering the three year  
period of my feeding. " Her guilt swelled  
up in her gut. " Every feeding had consequences.  
I simply never bothered to notice. Death,  
permanent insanity, disease's, divorce... "

" I'm sorry. " Hale's face softened in  
understanding.

" It wasn't anyone's fault but mine. " Lauren  
swallowed.

" Why didn't your parent's teach you to  
use your powers better? " Hale inquired.

" I was adopted by human's. " Lauren flinched.  
She hated those people.

Her adopted father was a Minister. The large  
muscular man was from the deep south, a town  
so small it was a practically a foreign  
country. The Church of Christ Minister had  
grown up surrounded by people acting like they  
were still in 1940's.

A place were race tension's were extremely  
high. Gays were lynched. Religion was a  
huge part of everything from the local  
business's to the sports teams.

Only three hundred people populated the  
area. Allowing someone to walk from one  
end of the town to the other in just  
thirty minutes.

Her mother, on the other hand, was the  
picture perfect Minister's wife. A house  
wife who held special Church events.  
Stayed home to take care of the children.  
Kept the house in pristine condition.

Bare foot and pregnant.

Her older brother John, was as bad as  
their parents. Religiously extreme.  
Obsessed with how people saw him and his  
family.

She'd stayed sane only because of her  
twin brother. Her younger twin. Younger  
by seven whole minutes.

Being gay, being Fae. It all infuriated  
their parents. It was against the bible.  
She had be a demon, or possessing their  
poor daughter.

So the Minister would punish her.

Make her kneel in front of a alter to  
Christ for eight hours, all the while  
saying whatever prayer he decided  
on at the time.

Taking a swig to her back. Forcing her  
to confess to sins she couldn't begin  
to understand. Praying over her in a  
booming voice. Begging for Christ to  
save her soul.

And as she grew up, the punishments  
got worse and worse. Religious school.  
Beating's. Controlling her every  
movement. Locking her in her room at  
night.

But she survived, and she made damn  
sure they never turned their attentions  
on her younger brother.

" Damn. " Hale realizing why her powers  
had been out of control. " Couldn't the  
Ash assign someone to tutor you? "

" He did. " Lauren slide off the stool.  
" Otherwise I wouldn't be able to keep  
from feeding regularly. "

" Then... "

" Please, Hale, drop it. " Lauren pleaded  
tiredly.

" Alright. "

" I'm going to bed. " Lauren doubted she  
would actually sleep. She rarely did.

And she had a feeling tonight wouldn't be  
any different.

22222

" Trick, my man. " Hale lead Lauren toward  
the bar in the back of the bar.

" Hale. " Trick nodded in greeting, then  
glanced at her arm. " I heard about what  
happened. Are you okay? "

" Nothing serious. " Lauren climbed onto  
a stool.

Serena, her other guard, stayed right  
next to her. The dark skinned woman scanning  
the room intently.

" Have you heard any rumors about who could  
be behind it? " Hale took a beer from the  
bartender.

" Nothing Fae. " Trick sat another beer in  
front of Lauren. " The Dark wouldn't dare  
attack Lauren, not as long as she belongs  
to The Ash. The Light might have a Fae or  
two who would risk it, but most Light Fae  
respect her too much. "

" Which leaves the human world. " Serene  
frowned in displeasure.

" The bullets were military grade. " Hale  
tilted his hat back in thought. " You were  
in the military, Doc. Any enemies you can  
think of. "

" You want the entire book? " Lauren rolled  
her eyes at the ridiculous question. " There's  
only the whole Afghan army, plus whatever  
solider I managed to tick off, doing my job. "

" Great. " Hale sighed heavily.

There was a few possibilities that stood out  
in her mind, but there was no way she was  
telling Hale about them.

" What's great? " Bo approached with Dyson  
and Kenzi.

" Where the hell have you been? " Kenzi  
demanded of Hale. Hands on her hips, eyes  
narrowed dangerously. " I had the mother  
of all hangover's this morning and you  
weren't answering my calls. "

" Something important came up. " Hale  
glanced over at Lauren in silent question.

" Why are you with Dr. Freeze? " Kenzi  
huffed in disgust.

" The Ash assigned him to guard me. "  
Lauren stared back at Hale in warning.  
" There was a small incident early this  
morning, and he felt I needed temporary  
guards. "

" You're hurt. " Bo stepped forward, her  
face shifting between concern and hate.

" Hale will be back in a week. " Lauren  
concentrated on appeasing Kenzi. " Maybe  
sooner. "

She could see Bo starting to frown in  
thought. The Succubus was eyeing Hale  
and Serene in consideration. Her dark  
eyes turning to Lauren's arm.

" Did someone do this to you? " Bo  
finally asked.

" Like I said, it's a temporary measure. "  
Lauren brushed off.

" Karen! "

She breathed heavily as the world shifted,  
and she was standing in an office at CSIS.

" Dr. Karen Beattie. " Lauren introduced  
herself to the older woman in front of her.  
Shaking the graying woman's hand.

" It's a pleasure to finally meet someone  
of your intelligence. " Director Croft  
smiled sternly.

" The pleasure's mine. " Lauren beamed.  
" My little brother has had nothing but  
wonderful things to say about you. "

" Karen! " Kirin protested. " I'm only  
seven minutes younger than you! "

" Exactly. " Lauren smirked. Pinching  
his cheek. " Little brother. "

The Director cleared her throat, face  
stern, but blue eyes twinkling in  
amusement. " I asked you here because  
of your... younger brother. I've assigned  
him to go undercover in a terrorist cell.  
However, he needs a partner with medical  
knowledge, and knowledge of explosives. "

" You don't have an available agent? "  
Lauren frowned.

" We do, but there's been a leak. " The  
Director leaned back into her desk. " We  
know what was leaked, but we haven't been  
able to locate the source of the leak. "

" Most of our agents have been compromised. "  
Kirin grew older at the information. " I'm  
one of the few agents that hasn't been  
exposed. "

" You are a licence Doctor, and have the  
necessary knowledge of explosives. " The  
Director continued. " You'd play what you  
are. Kirin's twin sister. "

Lauren was hesitant. She had sworn to  
always protect her brother, but one thing  
bothered her.

" If we infiltrate the cell, does that mean  
we'll be acting as terrorists? That we'll  
kill? " Lauren softly asked, afraid of the  
answer.

And when the Director meet her eyes, she  
knew the answer, and she knew she would  
agree.

To protect Kirin.

" Lauren! " Hale shook her.

Lauren stared at the Nymph who glomped  
a Gemini.

" Hey! You with us? " Hale's concern  
shone through.

" We should get back to the compound. "  
Lauren meet Hale's eyes.

Sweat was pouring from her face, her heart  
racing, pulse jumping. She was trying not  
to go into a panic attack.

Eleven People.

" I have work to do. " Lauren stood up on  
shaking legs. " Thanks for the drink,  
Trick. "

She walked out of the bar. Bo's stare  
drilling into her back. She hoped to whatever  
God there was, that the Succubus wasn't  
putting the clues together.

22222

" Well, this is certainly fun. " Lauren leaned  
against the wall under her office window.

Another shot came through the window, chipping  
wood from her desk where the bullet impacted.  
Three other bullet holes littered the wall  
across from the window.

" Yeah, fun. " Hale had his gun out, pressed  
into the wall on the left side of the window.  
" Where the hell is he shooting from? "

" Why don't you look and find out? " Serene  
stood beside him.

" I don't want to ruin my gorgeous bode with  
unnecessary holes. " Hale replied.

" Do I have to do everything myself? " Lauren  
wondered out loud.

" And what do think you can do? " Serene  
stared down her nose at her.

Lauren rolled her eyes. The two Fae was  
too busy bickering like a couple of five  
year olds to be useful.

She reached over to the shelving unit  
to the right of the window, and pulled  
off a long handled mirror. It was useful  
for certain of the more... unique Fae.

The Doctor carefully lifted the mirror  
up to the window, and began to tilt it.  
She winced as a bullet barely missed  
the mirror.

The parking lot was clean, the dumpster's,  
and... There.

" Found him. " Lauren focused on the  
glint of a scoop. " They've got a sniper  
rifle. By the outer wall. "

" Here, let me see. " Hale shifted his  
gun to his left hand, and took the  
mirror from her.

Lauren scooted over to the right of  
the window. She hardly had room to  
stand against the right wall.

" What are you doing, Doc? " Hale  
glanced away from the mirror.

The Doctor reached under the back of  
her lab coat, and drew the SIG P226.  
It was identical to her service  
weapon. She thumbed off the safety,  
and took a single deep breath.

In a single, swift action she went  
into action. She brought her gun  
around and smashed the window out,  
then pressed her front into  
the corner of the window, firing  
rapidly.

With her right eye peering out, she  
hit the wall inches from the sniper.  
The glint jerked back, and disappeared  
from view.

" Shit, Doc. " Hale dropped the mirror,  
fumbling to get his gun back into his  
right hand.

She pulled back from the window, popped  
the clip out. Tucking it into her sling,  
she grabbed a new one, and slammed it  
into place.

" Serene, make your way around while we  
keep his attention. " Lauren ordered  
when another bullet impacted with the  
wall.

" Finally, some action. " Serene kneeled  
down, and headed out of the office.

The doctor waited until the Fire elemental  
was gone, then opened fire again. This  
time she counted to ten between each  
bullet she fired. On the opposite side,  
Hale followed her lead.

She frowned as the sniper rifle disappeared.  
Pulling back, she glanced at Hale for  
answers.

" You don't think...? " She started to ask.

" He's gone. " Serene reentered the room.  
" No sign he was there. "

" Damn. " Hale slide down the wall to  
the floor.

The Ash was going to be furious.

22222

" What do you mean he got away!? " The Ash  
thundered at the three standing in front of  
him. " I gave you two tasks. Keep Lauren  
safe, and find the sniper! And yet, you're  
standing here, telling me that despite him  
practically handing himself over, he got away! "

Lauren winced at the waves of anger rolling  
off the Ash. It was so intense she was  
automatically feeding off him.

" We do know more than we did. " Hale  
tentively offered. " The attacker is using  
a C3A1 sniper rifle. It's what the Canadian  
military used until 2005. "

" We're obviously looking for someone  
connected to, or was in the military. "  
Serene took up. " The problem is narrowing  
the suspect list. It could be someone who  
served with Dr. Lewis, a relative of a  
solider, or someone on the other side of  
the battlefield. "

" Morton has been going through her records,  
and making a list for us. But it will take  
a while. She served in the CSIS and did  
six tours in the military. " Hale shrugged  
helplessly.

" Work faster. " The Ash ordered.

" Sir, we're doing the best we can. " Serene  
puffed up in offense. " In time we'll catch  
him. "

" Well, your best isn't good enough. " The  
Ash dismissed her words. " And frankly, I  
don't care about your assurances. I care  
about your performance. "

The Ash clasped his hands behind his back,  
and began to pace.

" Obviously, this isn't working. " The Ash  
paused by his desk. " Perhaps I was wrong  
to give in to Lauren's insistence that the  
Succubus not be involved. "

" Sir! " Lauren grew alarmed.

" I'm sorry, but I'm not willing to risk  
your life over such a trivial matter. " The  
Ash grew quiet. " I will summon the Succubus,  
be back here in an hour for the meeting. "

" But...! " Lauren tried again.

" You're dismissed, Doctor. " The Ash quietly  
but firmly cut off her protests.

" Yes, sir! " She bit off.

22222

" If you're going to prostitute someone else  
out to me, then I'm not interested. " Bo  
entered the throne room with Kenzi trailing  
behind.

The Ash shot Lauren a look, and she shrugged  
back unrepentant. Using the Ash to sabotage  
her relationship with Bo had seemed like a  
good idea at the time.

" I do not prostitute people out. " The Ash  
ground out. " Despite what some people have  
lead you to believe. "

Lauren saw the confusion flash across Bo's  
face before it was replaced with faked  
boredom.

" What is it you want? " Bo crossed her  
arms.

" I know the identities of your mother  
and grandfather. " The Ash leaned back  
into his throne in full control of the  
conversation.

" I should have guessed you lied to me. "  
Bo snorted.

" I could not let go of what little  
control I had of you. " The Ash blandly  
explained.

" Then why give it up now? " Kenzi eyed  
him, and Lauren.

" Event's have occurred which have forced  
my hand. " The Ash refused to look at the  
enraged Lauren. " There have been two  
attacks on Dr. Lewis in the last twenty  
four hours. My security team have been  
unable to figure out the attacker's  
identity or catch him. "

Lauren reluctantly meet Bo's intense  
brown eyes.

" We know the attacker is human. They  
are using a weapon made for the Canadian  
Military. " The Ash went on. " We  
believe the person is associated with  
Dr. Lewis through her career in either  
the CSIS or the Military. We haven't  
been able to narrow it any further. "

" There's two years worth of suspects  
from the CSIS alone. " Hale handed a  
six inch thick file to Bo. " And six  
and a half years from her time in  
the war. "

" Huh, who knew Dr. Hotpants was  
really Jenny Bond, 007. " Kenzi  
murmured. " License to sex. "

" I want the person behind this captured. "  
The Ash grimly stated. " When you have  
managed to solve this case, I will give  
you the names. "

" What about Lauren? " Bo frowned. " Shouldn't  
she help us with this. She can give us more  
insight into who it could be than a file. "

The Ash shifted his eyes to her, and Lauren  
silently swore. She could see the slightest  
glint of mischief in his dark eyes.

" A fine idea, Miss. Dennis. " The Ash gave  
Lauren a toothy grin. " Dr. Lewis, until  
further notice you will be working with  
the Succubus. "

He was dead. Lauren's left eye twitched.  
Or better yet, she'd inject a termite worm  
into his testicles. Oh yes, the perfect  
revenge. It would take three months for  
the worm to eat his genitals from the  
inside out.

" And Dr. Lewis, I believe for the time  
being I will be seeing Dr. Walker instead. "  
The Ash stopped her revenge plan cold.

" Great, let's get started. " Bo turned  
to her.

She would think of something else. Something  
just as painful.

22222

To Be Continued


End file.
